Basics about explosives
B. GANAPATHI SUNDARAM
Alfred Nobel gained prominence for two inventions — the use of nitroglycerine (NG) in place of the unreliable, low explosive, namely gun powder, and the modern detonator, for reliable safe initiation of high explosives. Except for the making of NG explosives which was hazardous, the explosives performed well and the so-called dynamites served the implementation of many irrigation and power projects. Except for the safety in handling, making and transporting, the dyna
mite with a long storage life was an excellent explosive.
The devastating accidents in the manufacture of NG explosives brought to the fore the leading makers of explosives Dupont & Co, who announced the “last days of the dynamite” in 1970s. Hence, the safer slurry/water gel explosives have taken the place of dynamite in the commercial explosives sector.
Incidentally, dynamites have been banned in India, basically for the long storage life with positive initiation by an electric detonator, which was a boon for terrorists. Slurry/water gel/emulsion explosives have a limited storage life. These explosives are safer to handle and are not initiated by impact, friction and even fire.
Uses of dynamite
They could be positively, reliably initiated by a detonator within a time frame from the date of manufacture. Today, we do not want these explosives to detonate, when initiated by the naxalites or terrorists, especially in crowded places. But these could be used to explode in a project such as irrigation, ore production, etc. If we carefully analyse the problem, explosives can cause damage only when initiated. Similarly, the detonator could be initiated only if a spark or fire is thrown inside it. The spark can be produced by a current from a battery. If sparks are not produced, the detonator fails. In other words, the detonator should be initiated by a higher current, say, 8 to 10 volts such that even a battery in the cell phone (4.5v) cannot be used for detonating purposes. Therefore, commercial detonators must have a specification of higher initiating voltage for the initiation.
People in this line know how to make a weak chemical composition and an apt initiation system. These detonators will be useless for the terrorists, in the case of remote activation.
A dialogue with the makers of explosives and detonators around the world will help in removing the blame on high explosives for destruction.
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